Phil Mickelson Has Ties to a University of Wyoming Football Legend
LARAMIE -- Phil Mickelson made history Sunday, becoming the oldest golfer to win a major tournament after finishing two strokes ahead of Brooks Koepka and Louis Oosthuizen to claim the 2021 PGA Championship.
Mickelson, 50, finished six-under at Kiawah Island's Ocean Course in South Carolina.
We all know what Mickelson can do on the golf course, but did you know he helped out a former Wyoming football player in a big way back in 2007?
Out of the blue, Conrad Dobler's phone rang at his suburban Kansas City home. It was a lawyer on the other end of the line -- Mickelson's attorney, Glenn Cohen.
Dobler, at the time, had never even met Mickelson.
"He told me Phil had become aware of our situation," Dobler told ESPN's Bob Verdi in a story titled, Mickelson gives to Dobler family. "Phil wanted to pay for our daughter Holli's college education. A random act of kindness is the only way to describe it. Holli's a sophomore at Miami of Ohio, the school of her choice, because of one person: Phil Mickelson."
On the Fourth of July in 2001, his wife, Joy Dobler, fell out of a hammock. She couldn't feel anything.
"We phoned 911. She's been a quadriplegic ever since," Dobler said. "We've had to downsize. The business we have, providing temporary medical help to hospitals, used to be a lot larger than it is now. I've had to sell a lot of assets, (it's) everything I can possibly do to make it financially. Holli's tuition would have been a big ticket."
Joy Dobler, 61, died in March of 2018. They were married for 30 years.
Dobler, forever known as the NFL's dirtiest player, suited up for the Cowboys from 1969-71. He played 10 NFL seasons for the St. Louis Cardinals, New Orleans Saints and Buffalo Bills. Dobler, an offensive guard, played in three consecutive Pro Bowls from 1975-77.
All that wear and tear led to dozens of surgeries for Dobler, more than 30 on his knees alone, he told 7220sports.com back in 2019. Medical bills were mounting. Rehab for Joy costs more than the most Dobler ever made in an NFL season, $125,000 with the Buffalo Bills, according to ESPN.
"That's why Phil's generosity is so unbelievable," Dobler said. "When Glenn told me what was going on, I asked him, 'Why is Phil doing this for a complete stranger?' Glenn's answer was, 'Because he can.' Like I said, I've never even talked to Phil to thank him, but he's made me a better person. I've become accustomed to saying 'I'm sorry' for some of the things I've done. But if I ever hit the lottery, my first impulse would be to give a bunch of it away. That's what he's all about. I have a feeling he does a lot of this sort of thing. But he doesn't even want to talk about it."
Check out the full Mickelson-Dobler story right HERE.
Check out our feature with Dobler, 'The Broken Warrior,' right HERE.